Ruud Gullit: 'Eden Hazard should conserve energy'

Former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit has claimed that Eden Hazard's increasing willingness to work for the team is harming his output in terms of goals.

Hazard's work-rate was criticised by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho earlier in the season, but the Belgian has been a willing runner for the team in recent weeks.

On Sunday, the 24-year-old started at the tip of the Chelsea attack away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but neither team could find the back of the net in the goalless draw.

Gullit has claimed that Hazard "worked too hard" in the Spurs match and therefore negated his main attributes in the final third.

"He worked too hard. I want him to be sharp in front of goal. He kicks the ball, head's down, head's down, he still has to run forward. This is a sign of a player like: 'Oh my God. I have to run again.' All players know that, when you put your head down like that," Gullit told BBC Sport.

"He is as important as [Cristiano] Ronaldo is for Real Madrid. He is as important as [Lionel] Messi is for Barcelona. Do they chase back as much? No, because they need to save their energy for the right moment.

"He did it to prove a point but to get the best out of him, I don't want him to chase that much. I want him to concentrate on the moments that the team gets the ball. They have to give him the ball as quick as possible and then he does his thing. When that is coming back, he's going to get goals again."

Hazard has not scored a single Premier League goal for Chelsea this season.